As the owner of a wellness centre, Sonia Samtani hopes to spread her work on transforming the human mind through acceptance to other parts of the world.
What’s your story?
I was a shy and a withdrawn girl over-concerned about what people thought. My turning point was when I was 15 years old having lunch at McDonald’s, I was so concerned about how I looked that I kept rehearsing how I would say my order and drove myself to a point where I couldn’t speak at all! I decided something needed to shift and thought it was my appearance that needed to change, so I lost weight and thinned my eyebrows. I soon realised that although I felt better it was my beliefs that needed adjusting. I finally addressed this with hypnotherapy, which helped me release my deep-seated self-worth issues from childhood by accepting the parts of myself I’d rejected. Once I saw the difference this made it was clear that this is the field I want to be in. I’ve been practising hypnotherapy for 15 years now as a therapist, trainer and owner of a wellness centre.
What excites you most about your industry?
My industry is hot! There is so much awareness on Mental Wellness now and people are finally realising that a healthy mind can get you anywhere! You can have all the success, eat all the kale you can, work out and do lots of yoga, however, if you mind is not at peace then there will still be something fundamental missing in your life. I believe that your mind is the gateway to all types of wellness, and it’s exciting that the media, celebrities and the royal family are now understanding and talking about this!
What’s your connection to Asia?
I am of Indian descent and born in Hong Kong so Asia is home to me. I feel deeply connected to Asia and hope to spread my work on transforming the human mind through acceptance to further parts of China and the Orient.
Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
There’s no place like Hong Kong for business. We are one of the leading economies in the world, yet it’s small enough for a small business to be the big fish in a small pond. Hong Kong is one of those unique cities where we can get a business registered within minutes, have up to 10 meetings in a day, get things done more efficiently than any other country, and ultimately get our business running and see our dreams move to fruition quicker than most places.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
We are no better or worse than anyone else. Everyone has their own share of support and challenges in life, and ultimately there is an equilibrium so we don’t need to live in the illusion of judging who is better or worse!
Who inspires you?
I’m one of those who can look at a tree and be inspired to learn patience, or be with a baby and be inspired to enjoy being in the moment. I believe we can be inspired by most things nature has to offer!
If I had to name one person it would be Anita Moorjani, a beautiful soul and author 2 best-selling books. She had a near-death experience (was clinically declared dead) and finally healed herself by shifting her mindset and attitude. I knew Anita personally and deeply resonate with her message on how practising acceptance and being present can heal your mind-body from the most chronic situations.
What have you just learnt recently that blew you away?
On average people think 50,000 thoughts per day, and out of that 98% are the same as yesterday! This is why most people don’t really shift much in their lives and continue with the same patterns, results and diseases as yesterday.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I really don’t believe in regretting things as I didn’t know any better in the past. Although if I had the awareness of today, I would have Interpreted my situations with more acceptance and compassion for myself and others, and freed myself from many self-judgments.
How do you unwind?
By setting powerful boundaries of when work ends and my personal time begins. Within my time I do a combination of nurturing activities including meditation, reading, spending quality time with my loved ones, dancing, being part of a sisterhood, listening to podcasts on self-development, and journaling.
Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
Anywhere close to nature. I am generally not attached to any particular place and keen on exploring different locations so I generally venture out to a new space with my husband at least once a year. I find the most relaxing destinations close to the water as it feels deeply cleansing & relaxing, or close to the mountains where the energies are rejuvenating and uplifting. Some of the places I have loved relaxing in include, Bali, Rishikesh in the Himalayas, Seychelles, Phuket, and Chang Mai.
Everyone in business should read this book:
The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer – this book raises consciousness to another level; it has us move away from ego and allow life to flow through us with more acceptance and less judgment. It’s not directly related to business strategies, but will greatly benefit any individual that runs businesses to come from more self-belief, faith and surrender.
Shameless plug for your business:
All About You is a leading wellness centre in Hong Kong specializing in private sessions, workshops, and practitioner training programs in Mental Wellness. Services are provided by resident and visiting practitioners who are experts in Holistic Nutrition, Energy Healing, NLP, Tarot Reading, Numerology, Public Speaking, with a special emphasis on Hypnotherapy. The space embodies a vision to raise global consciousness through a suite of services designed to bring out the best version of yourself on all levels. The space is called All About You as a reminder that you are the creator of your reality and that your life is a reflection of your beliefs, experiences and perceptions.
How can people connect with you?
Websites: www.allaboutyoucentre.com | www.soniasamtani.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllAboutYouHK
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allaboutyouwellnesscentre/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniasamtani/
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This interview is part of the ‘Callum Connect’ series of more than 500 interviews
Callum Laing is an entrepreneur and investor based in Singapore. He has previously started, built and sold half a dozen businesses and is now a Partner at Unity-Group Private Equity and Co-Founder of The Marketing Group PLC. He is the author two best selling books ‘Progressive Partnerships’ and ‘Agglomerate’.
Connect with Callum here:
twitter.com/laingcallum
linkedin.com/in/callumlaing
Download free copies of his books here: www.callumlaing.com
